Manuscript Accelerator

A dynamic, no-excuses plan for writing or revising a book

Writing a book is hardbut that doesn't mean ithas to be frustrating.

Instead of struggling in solitude, grabbing at quick fixes, or hoping for a miracle, you can take a clear path to success. It looks like this:

We'll hand-pick one of our book coaches to guide your project from wherever you are to "the end."

Whether you are stuck after a few chapters, or stuck with a whole draft that you know isn't working, we'll make a customized plan to help you finish or revise your draft.

It's part project management, part editorial guidance, part magic voodoo that comes from pairing our own highly trained book-loving coaches with writers who are ready to stop messing around.

That may not sound sexy, but if you’re reading this, our guess is you’re tired of the empty promises, the “write as fast as you can” programs, and the “invitations” to sit in a room with a famous author, all of which have gotten you exactly nowhere.

This is going to be different.

It's a method, not a miracle.

Manuscript Accelerator gives you the three essential elements you need for creative success:

Accountability so you can't make excuses

You’ll be reaching for your laptop instead of the remote control when you have a book coach waiting for your work.

Focus so you don't get off track

Professional, detailed feedback as you go means you won’t waste hours, days, or years of your life on a story that doesn’t work.

Support where it counts the most

No more despairing about whether your work is any good. Your book coach is there to support you, so you can spend less time doubting yourself and more time writing forward.

After six months of working together, book coach Lizette Clarke meets her writer Lorrie Tom for the first time.

Manuscript Accelerator is designed towork with your schedule and your life

You commit to finishing a rough draft or a revision of your manuscript, with a specific goal date and a plan to get there.

You work with your book coach on a project plan that takes into account your work and family obligations, your vacation plans, and your writing style.

You and your coach agree on a deadline schedule — usually every other week.

You can email your coach between deadlines with quick questions, fast brainstorms, and support in moments of doubt.

You can schedule phone or video-conference calls with your coach to go over things face to face — OR use that time to get feedback on more pages.

You get free membership in our Membership Circle, where you can join Ask Me Anything sessions with Jennie Nash, join live working sessions led by our coaches and special guests, and connect with other writers who could be perfect beta-readers for your work.

Once you have a finished manuscript, you can keep working with your coach to make sure you meet all your writing goals – from polishing to pitching.

The outcome?

You will produce a rough draft of a book that is more like a 5th or 6th draft because you've had editorial input, accountability, and emotional support as you go.

You will actually finish this time — no excuses.

Invest in your success

Manuscript Accelerator is tailored exactly for you from start to finish. You don't have to read anyone else's work-in-progress at a workshop, wait for your time to share at your writing group, or slog through a video series meant for the masses.

Deadlines offered in packages of 12 for new clients. Payment plans available.

Big investments are always scary, but we do everything we can to ensure you know the program inside and out before you invest in it, including:

Invite you to fill out a detailed Q&A about your project and your goals

Offer a free 30-min. consultation call before you sign up

Show you feedback samples so you can see exactly what kind of editing and guidance you'll get

Start your program with a 50-min. project-management call with your coach to develop a project plan

For me, the introduction of accountability and deadlines was important in stopping the massive procrastination. I needed a boss; a kind but knowledgeable boss who could guide me but also dock my pay if I didn’t show up for work.

— Kristin Nilsen

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

+ Why is coaching actually a better option for my book than trying to draft it on my own?

The benefit of coaching is that you will produce a rough draft of a book that is more like a 5th or 6th draft because you've had editorial input, accountability, and emotional support as you go. You will finish with a great draft with which to move forward.

+ What if I'm currently a member of Author Accelerator?

There are a few options for you if you're a current member. You can sign up for Manuscript Accelerator and your coach will tailor your deadlines to what you need (so maybe you only need a few more deadlines of writing, but the remaining deadlines could be spent on revision and preparing to pitch).

+ When can I sign up for Manuscript Accelerator? Do I have to wait until it's available?

Manuscript Accelerator is available at any time. You can sign up whenever you'd like, but note that once you sign up and agree to commit, there’s no backing out! Once you’re in, you’re in!

+ How do I sign up?

The first step is for you to fill out this Q&A. After you fill it out, you'll schedule a consultation call to speak with one of our team members to make sure Manuscript Accelerator is the right program for you and your goals. After your call, we’ll send you the information to register, and you can sign up when you’re ready. Once you’re registered, we’ll pair you with a coach, which usually takes 2-3 business days, and introduce you to them so you can set up a call to talk about your project and devise a plan for your program.

+ Who will be giving me feedback?

Your work will be reviewed by a coach who has been hand-picked and trained by Jennie Nash. All of our coaches go through four levels of rigorous training and many are published authors themselves. We work hard to pair you with the right coach for you and your project, based on a range of factors, editorial and personal. To learn more about our coaches, click here.

+ I just completed the 7-Day Writing Challenge and/or Story Genius – is this right for me?

It's actually exactly what we would recommend you do next! You've set yourself up by nailing down the foundation of your novel, now you can write forward with confidence by having the support and guidance of a book coach.

+ What if I don't know the genre of my book?

Your coach will absolutely help you with that. There are lessons/exercises they will have you do that will hone in on what your actual genre is.

+ Can I work with a Story Genius-trained coach? And can I use the Story Genius method in this program?

Of course! Story Genius is HARD and it's a tool like everything else. If you like it and it works for you, we can absolutely accomodate you in that regard. But if you're open to trying other methods, your coach will gladly give you other exercises and guidance on how to branch out from Story Genius.

If you are interested in using the Story Genius method to write your book, but have not completed our Story Genius workshop, we ask that you do so before coming into Manuscript Accelerator. Find out when our next workshop is being held HERE!

Program-Specific Questions

+ What's involved in the project-management call?

First, there will be a system for learning about your writing habits, your page-count goals, where you tend to fall down over time as you work toward your goal, what you are afraid of in the process, etc. You'll fill that out before you get on the phone with your coach for the project-management call.
From there, your coach will help you develop your project plan. Note that your plan may evolve as your work does. Each deadline, your coach will tell you what they want to see next. That may include revisions of previous materials.

+ How many pages may I submit for each deadline?

Our Manuscript Accelerator program has a 20-page cap on submissions. This could mean up to 20 new pages, 10 new pages and 10 revised pages, or a similar combination. However, you are not expected to submit a full 20 pages each deadline – that’s considered A LOT! Pages do not roll over deadline to deadline, and you are not credited any pages you “do not use.”
PLEASE NOTE: In our VIP program, the page limit per deadline is 25, and there is the option for more flexibility. You and your coach can create a writing schedule that works best for both of you.

+ Can I email my coach between deadlines?

You may, but note that Manuscript Accelerator does not come with extensive communication between deadlines, so your coach will use their discretion in how they answer. They may be able to send a succinct reply, or they may feel it would be more effective to save your question for your next round of feedback or editorial call.
PLEASE NOTE: In our VIP program, your coach has more time to discuss problems or questions between deadlines, in addition to the added phone calls (twice as many as in Manuscript Accelerator). If you think you’ll need more consistent support as you write forward, we encourage you to check out that program.

+ How do the phone calls work?

When and how you get on the phone with your coach is up to you – you can schedule them at any time throughout your program, and use a video-conferencing platform instead of the phone, if you’d like. You can also combine calls into one longer call to sort through a thorny issue or dive into brainstorming. Your coach will keep track of the calls you’ve used, and let you know what you have remaining. You’ll also have the option of adding phone calls to your program if you find them super helpful. If you’d rather not get on the phone with your coach, your coach will use that extra time to provide feedback on your pages.

+ In the VIP program, do you really mean unlimited email support between deadlines?

In the VIP program, you get a higher level of interaction with your coach than in the standard MA program, and they will do their best to respond to all your questions. They may send extra articles or assignments for you to do, or extra encouragement. If your requests become excessive, they may ask you to gather questions into a single email, or save certain inquiries for your next phone call. As long as you keep the lines of communication open on both sides, you’ll be just fine!

+ In the VIP program, there is the ability to send in additional assignments. What does that mean/include?

You will have the ability to send in 1-page extra assignments between deadlines, such as an updated table of contents, character sketches, problem-solving worksheets, world-building elements, agent acceptances or rejections, and Twitter contest pitch plans.

+ What if I don't need 12 deadlines to meet my writing goal?

You might say that now, but we’ve found that there’s always something more to do! If you finish your rough draft, you and your coach can move on to revising. If you finish your final draft, you and your coach can move on to a polish edit and/or preparing your pitch plan. If you’re planning to self-publish, your coach can help with market research and platform building.
The best part is that you have a full year to use all your deadlines, so if you need to step away from the work for a bit to focus on marketing, do research, or clear your head, you’ll have plenty of time to come back to it.

Billing-Related Questions

+How do you calculate the start and expiry dates for my program?

Your program begins the day you register and pay for your package – whether that's your first monthly installment or the full cost upfront. Your deadlines will be active and available to use until 1 year beyond that date. For example, if you were to sign up on Jan. 1, your deadlines would be active until Dec. 31. If you were to sign up on Jan. 20, your deadlines would be active until Jan. 19 of the following year.

+ Can I take a break while I'm in the program?

You are in full control of your deadline schedule, so you can account for any breaks, vacations, or emergencies you might have. However, we've found that most writers who take a lengthy break from their program tend to justify not completing it for one reason or another. We don't want you to fall into that trap. So while you may take the time you need to between deadlines, we encourage you to stick to a consistent schedule as much as possible. Note that our coaches sometimes need scheduled time off too, and they will let you know when those times are coming up so you can plan accordingly and keep going strong. Deadlines expire a year after purchase.

+ What happens to any deadlines I'm not able to use before they expire?

Deadlines expire one year after the package purchase date. Any unused deadlines cannot be recouped or applied to another program or service. But don’t worry – your coach will help you stay on track and hold you accountable to using all your deadlines!

+ Why is there a 12-deadline minimum?

Through extensive work with many different writers, Jennie Nash discovered that 12 deadlines, on average, provide a suitable timeframe for a writer to develop a solid rough draft through coaching. It's a sizable amount of feedback to commit to, but it equates to a lot less time than spending years on a book that doesn't get finished.

+ This sounds great, but it's not in my budget. Do you have another option?

We do offer a free 7-Day Writing Challenge to help you get started and lay the foundation of your book. But we no longer offer our Basic Book Coaching program through Author Accelerator. If you are interested in a lesser service, please see our referral list of certified book coaches. These coaches have been certified through our Book Coach Certification program and are fully equipped to help you write your book.

PLEASE NOTE: These coaches operate independent of Author Accelerator and we do not have control or influence over their specific services or pricing. If you would like to work with one of them directly, use their contact information listed on the referral page.

+ What's your refund policy?

We offer a 30-day cancellation window. This means that within the first 30 days, you can cancel your participation in Manuscript Accelerator.
If you’ve paid upfront, you’ll receive a prorated refund (we will retain the cost of two deadlines and a $300 admin fee).
If you have chosen to pay in monthly installments, you will be released from your payment commitment for the remaining 5 months, however, we will retain the cost of the first month and a $300 admin fee that will be charged to your account upon confirmation of cancellation.

We invest a lot of time and resources in your success even before you start. We do everything we can to ensure that this program is right for you, including a free 30-minute consultation to talk through the program logistics, robust FAQs that address key aspects of the program, and a team approach to evaluating your application materials so we can hand-match you with a coach we believe can best help you meet your goals.

We expect you to bring the same level of commitment to this work. We have found that the biggest reason writers do not finish their manuscripts is because they fail to show up for themselves – there is always a reason or an excuse for why they can’t commit. Our goal is to help you finish, which is why this program is structured the way it is. It’s very intentional. That’s why we do not honor membership cancellations after the first 30 days.